Two key aspects of a person's search for work are the steps taken to find work, and barriers they encounter in obtaining work. Characteristics such as age, sex and education can often influence the person's job search experience and outcomes.

Table 6.16 shows the steps taken by unemployed persons to find a job. The most common step taken was registering with and/or using Centrelink services (545,500), followed by contacting prospective employers (509,700) and answering a newspaper advertisement for a job (200,900).

Difficulties encountered by unemployed persons in finding work are shown in table 6.17. The most commonly reported main difficulties were 'considered too young or too old by employers' and 'too many applicants for available jobs' (both 13%) and 'lacked necessary skills or education' (12%).

The main difficulties in finding work most commonly reported by the long-term unemployed (unemployed for at least one year) were 'considered too young or too old by employers' (23%), 'lacked necessary skills or education' (13%) and 'Own ill health or disability (12%).

6.17 UNEMPLOYED PERSONS(a), Main Difficulty in Finding Work - July 2000

Duration of current period of unemployment (weeks)

Main difficulty in finding work

1 and under 8

’000

8 and under 26

’000

26 and under 52

’000

1 and under 2 years

’000

2 years and over

’000

Total

’000

Average duration

weeks

Considered too young or too old by employers

12.6

11.1

13.8

8.8

26.7

73.0

91

No vacancies at all

10.7

10.5

10.9

5.4

7.8

45.3

55

No vacancies in line of work

15.9

10.6

*5.0

*3.3

*4.8

39.6

36

Insufficient work experience

17.0

10.3

12.3

5.2

9.8

54.6

44

Too many applicants for available jobs

18.7

23.0

15.7

*4.8

9.2

71.3

39

Lacked necessary skills or education

19.2

13.9

10.8

10.7

9.6

64.1

58

Too far to travel, transport problems

8.1

8.0

6.3

6.9

7.1

36.4

55

Own ill health or disability

6.2

5.7

*4.5

6.6

12.0

35.1

87

Language difficulties

*2.3

*2.2

*3.0

*1.9

*4.3

13.7

83

Unsuitable hours

9.6

7.0

*3.9

*1.0

**0.4

21.9

16

Difficulties with childcare, other family responsibilities

*4.9

*2.0

*1.2

*0.9

*2.9

11.8

69

Other difficulties(b)

9.1

*4.0

5.6

*2.3

*3.1

24.0

61

No difficulties reported

36.3

12.0

*3.0

*1.5

**0.7

53.5

11

Total

170.5

120.3

96.0

59.1

98.3

544.3

53

(a) Excludes persons who have been stood down. (b) Includes persons who reported difficulties because of ethnic background.

Information about methods of job attainment for successful jobseekers is shown in table 6.18. Successful jobseekers are persons who obtained a job for wages or salary in the 12 months to July 2000. The majority (77%) of successful jobseekers approached their employer. Most of this group (60%) had prior knowledge that the job was available. The main sources of this knowledge were friends, relatives or company contacts (42% of those with prior knowledge) and newspaper advertisements (35%).